The Marauder's Map
by dyingcowlaugh
Summary: Quick one-shot about something that's probably been done a thousand times: Fred and George's discovery of the Marauder's Map.
Obviously, Harry Potter and the characters mentioned do not belong to me. This was based off of a tumblr post from theoneblogicareabout

Thanks, and please enjoy!

* * *

It was Fred who found it.

The Weasley twins had set off a dungbomb in the corridor, and Filch was none too amused. He'd dragged the two into his office and began to rant about something or other. Their attention was far from focused on him, however, as George had nudged Fred and nodded toward a drawer marked "Confiscated and Highly Dangerous." It was obvious that they'd have to get into it somehow. As they separately calculated how to achieve their goal, George reached a solution. He had then dropped another dungbomb causing enough of a distraction that Fred was able to reach inside and pull out an old piece of parchment. The downside was that they'd received a week of detention for that stunt. When they returned to the Gryffindor Common Room, they'd attempted to figure out why the paper was so dangerous. After they were subjected to multiple unfruitful attempts, Fred put the parchment into his bag, and they went to bed.

A couple of weeks passed before they rediscovered it.

The two boys had been so caught up in an intense prank, involving Halloween and a pair of abnormally large pumpkins, that they had all but forgotten about the parchment. The day they did realise its potential worth, was when the twins had been practicing spells in the common room, attempting to enchant parchment to write what they dictated. Of course, they knew a spell of this sort existed; however, they'd been banned from the library for the last week due to the repercussions of their Halloween prank, and a lecture from one of the more bookish students was an impossible option.

" _Scribodictous,_ " Fred said absentmindedly touching a new sheet of parchment with his wand after their last one had been drenched in a continuous flow of black ink. "I am happy to report the success in the infiltration of Filch's office," he said, praying that the made-up spell would function. Suddenly, it appeared as though an invisible hand was writing across the page.

" _Mr. Moony would like to point out that that spell sounds rather fabricated and is unlikely to work. However, you may want to try enchanting the quill."_

To the twins' astonishment, the writing continued.

 _"_ _Mr. Prongs congratulates you on your successful infiltration effort and encourages you to continue the good work."_

 _"_ _Mr. Padfoot agrees with Mr. Prongs and wishes you well in your scheming."_

 _"_ _Mr. Wormtail invites you to use this parchment if you solemnly swear to make sure all sorts of mischief will be managed."_

Fred looked at George and was met with a stunned gaze. Slowly, the two boys began to smile and retired to their dormitory before anyone could have noticed their new discovery.

They were troubled to find a couple first years in their room and decided, with increasing frustration, to wait until their roommates had fallen asleep.

George crawled into Fred's bed and they implemented privacy charms they'd been practicing for personal use. George tapped the paper with his wand, " _Revelio_." Nothing happened. It was Fred's turn.

" _Alohamora._ "

"Open up."

" _Please_ open up."

"Wait. Freddie, didn't Mr. Wormtail say something or other about promising to cause problems?" George tapped the parchment, "I will make the next six years bearable."

 _"_ _Mr. Moony would recommend a surplus of dungbombs."_

 _"_ _Mr. Prongs requests that you punch a Slytherin in the face."_

 _"_ _Mr. Padfoot agrees with Mr. Prongs and would like for you set a dungbomb in their common room."_

 _"_ _Mr. Wormtail believes that this parchment would greatly assist in that endeavour, so long as it's sworn."_

"George and Fred Weasley _swear_ to prank all of Hogwarts, especially Professor Snape," Fred cheerily declared.

 _"_ _Mr. Moony worries that any education received from Snape is worth very little."_

 _"_ _Mr. Prongs concurs with Mr. Moony and asks that Messrs. Weasley send Snape his kind regards with a few well-placed wet-start, no-heat fireworks."_

 _"_ _Mr. Padfoot asks Messrs. Weasley to give Snivellus hell."_

 _"_ _Mr. Wormtail doubts the greasy git even has enough brains to be a professor."_

"Maybe make it more general?" Fred told George as he tapped the parchment.

"I promise I'm gonna fuck shit up."

 _"_ _Mr. Moony wonders why Messrs. Weasley think such foul language is necessary to accomplish mischief."_

 _"_ _Mr. Prongs would like to have a pint with Messrs. Weasley as they seem just like his kind of people, so long as they solemnly swear it."_

 _"_ _Mr. Padfoot agrees with Mr. Prongs and would like to give Messrs. Weasley a high-five."_

 _"_ _Mr. Wormtail informs Messrs. Weasley that they are getting warmer."_

"I _solemnly swear_ I'm gonna fuck shit up."

 _"_ _Mr. Moony inquires whether or not Messrs. Weasley could be more creative with their final statements."_

 _"_ _Mr. Prongs still offers the drink."_

 _"_ _Mr. Padfoot believes that Messrs. Weasley should get on with their tricks if they're just going to spend the day repeating themselves."_

 _"_ _Mr. Wormtail admits that it may be easier for Messrs. Weasley to be up to no good without the parchment if they cannot be more inventive."_

"I think they're judging us, Freddie." Fred grinned.

"We'll see who's judging who when we get this thing opened. Um, I _solemnly swear_ that I am…up to no good?"

 _"_ _Mr. Moony doesn't believe it for a second."_

 _"_ _Mr. Prongs would like to point out that Messrs. Weasley seem awfully doubtful."_

 _"_ _Mr. Padfoot requires a more substantial response."_

 _"_ _Mr. Wormtail thinks that maybe Messrs. Weasley will be able to manage their mischief."_

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!" the twins chanted in excited unison as George poked the parchment.

At once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly, green words, that proclaimed:

 _Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs_

 _Purveyors of Aides to Magical Mischief-Makers_

 _are proud to present_

THE MARAUDERS MAP

Fred and George looked at each other than back at the map, ear-to-ear grins spreading across their identical faces. "Will you look at that," Fred whispered in awe. George shook his head in amazement. They sat there, studying every inch of the map, both incredibly eager to begin their search of the castle's hidden corridors and rooms, both knowing that a trip like that would have to wait until the following day.

After a time had passed and the twins had found themselves on the map, huddled together in the Gryffindor dormitories, and after the Weasleys had found Filch wandering the halls with the grumpy Mrs. Norris, and after they'd even found Dumbledore sitting at his desk in the Headmaster's office, George finally whispered, "How do we close it?"

"Didn't Mr. Wormtail say to manage our mischief? Then, shouldn't it be… _mischief managed_ ," Fred said tapping the parchment. The map went blank at once.

 _"_ _Wicked_ ," George grinned. "Just think of all the pranks we could pull." Their conversation concluded, they whispered their good nights, and George crept to bed. The pair fell asleep dreaming of mischief to come.


End file.
